Dear John.

Nicholas Sparks is known for his heart wrenthing tales of love and life. His book, Dear John, is no different.

The book is about a soldier named John Tyree who falls for a college student named Savannah Lynn Curtis over his brief leave. The movie obviously differentiates from the book.

For one, Savannah is supposed to be brunette. Maybe it's because I'm brunette that it bothers me, but Amanda Seyfried is not. It's not really that big of a deal, but I really think they changed the element of her character. I felt like she wasn;t as sure in all of her decisions, as different and proud of her morals as she is in the book. I mean honestly, the girls practically a saint in the book. She builds houses and is as unslutty as they come. Although, shes not slutty in the movie, and they do mention briefly about it (the house building I mean). But seriously, she dedicates her whole summer to building them.

John Tyree I think is depicted quite accurately. This also could be in part because I think he's great. Just great. But really, John is this soldier, who used to be kind of a bad influence, but cleaned up his act and joined the ilitary because, "it's what I needed at the time". I think Channing Tatum really just has that look, that can depict this without words. Probably a biased view, but still.

A character that I think was the best in the movie, and the book, is John's dad. He's just so adorable and even though he's a little different, he makes you love him with his adorableness and sweet disposition.
A random thing I really don't understand why they changed is that in the book Tim has a brother with Autism that he takes care of since his parents died, and in the movie they made it his son. Honestly, there was no point.

I think the thing they changed the most is the ending. The thing that wraps the book up most, getting the message of how far a person would go for the person they truly love. In the movie when Tim, the man that Savannah evetually ends up marrying while John is away, dies they meet somewhere and hug implying that they get back together in the end: a happy ending.
In the book though, John let's her go to be with the man that needs her to take care of him. The book ends with him sitting on a hill, watching her and remembering what they had. Maybe it's not a perfect happy ending, but its the real ending, and in my opinion it was amazing:

"She pauses then and crosses her arms, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one has followed her. Finally, she seems to relax. And then I feel as if I'm witnessing a miracle, as ever slowly she raises her face toward the moon. I watch her drink in the sight, sensing the flood of memories she's unleashed and wanting nothing more than to let her know I'm here. But instead I stay where I am and stare up at the moon as well. And for the briefest instant, it almost feels like we're together again."

The book isn't about happy endings, being with the ones you love, it's about doing what it takes for the one you love to be happy, even if it comes at the price of your own.

But see the movie, because even though it changes the ending, I still think it's well worth the watch. Bring some tissues too.

Books: 6    Movies: 1